Tag: Zelda

Let me start this off by asking: What is the greatest video game ever made? Broad question, open to many opinions I realize. By now you’re probably wondering what I think the answer to this question is, (no I’m not going to pick Assassin’s Creed). The greatest game ever made is: “The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time”, created for the greatest gaming console man has ever known: the N64. Now that you know my answer, I will begin to explain why I would want to live in Hyrule (where the game takes place).

This game totally engulfed my life when I was around 7 years old. I was fascinated by the overpowering good vs. evil themes that the game employed, as well as the simple (and mostly happy) life that the ordinary people lived in their villages. There are many creatures that live throughout Hyrule including the Gorons an the Zoras. They are both awesome. Personally, I wouldn’t mind being either one of these creatures. The Gorons have massive amounts of strength and seem virtually indestructible, while the Zoras can breath under water.

Sure there’s an evil king (Ganondorf) who rules over the land, but if I lived there I wouldn’t be worried at all. I could devote my time to aiding Link in his quest to banish the evil that resides over Hyrule, or sit back and watch him do it anyways. Good always wins over evil, (at least that’s what I thought when I was 7).

As I sit here contemplating what exactly I find to be my favorite game, few things jump out at me. Of course I could always say something that I found relatively enjoyable that has recently been released like Deus Ex: Human Revolution. I could also say something that constitutes ass-kissing like Lord of the Rings Online (wouldn’t that just be appropriate from me?). But in all honesty it is extremely difficult to choose that one perfect game that balanced joy, fear, excitement, and sadness and organized them so perfectly that Beethoven could hardly match its perfection with his symphonic genius. Then I think I found it.

I was home a few weeks ago, enjoying my family time as usual. We decided to make a day of driving around town and doing a little shopping. Now, of course, no shopping trip is complete without the quick trip to Wal-mart to pick all your family necessities. So, I did what I normally do when we make a trip there, I browsed the electronics section for things to criticize and/or admire. I was walking through the Nintendo section when I stumbled upon the new giant signs exclaiming that the 3DS’s were now only $169.99. I had never used one and I was curious as to what they looked like with the “revolutionary” 3D graphics (Which has definitely not been in use since the 90’s…). So I moseyed on over to the display model, powered it on, clicked on demo, and waited. When the game loaded up I heard a heart-wrenching tune: the intro music for Zelda: Ocarina of Time.

I was torn into pieces. How could I have forgotten such a magnificently poised series as Zelda? When I was young, I owned a Gameboy: Color and I started my Zelda experience on Link to the Past. I always loved the epic story of an unlikely boy/young man who rose from the lowest rank, starting with nothing but a sword and shield to conquer the evils of the lands. Not only did this game evolve with some of the greatest gameplay qualities of the time, but it also held the values of courage, wisdom, and friendship to such high standards. No matter how old I was, I always adored the story line of one of these games: dressing up like Link on Halloween, running around the yard with a plastic sword yelling “Hiyah!”, and practicing the ever important speed boosting technique of shoulder rolls around the house. As I stood and played the first mission inside the Great Deku Tree, an overwhelming sense of nostalgia swept over me and I once again felt as if I was 8, enjoying another round of everyone’s favorite sequence: the Water Temple. If ever there was a game that impacted me, it was Zelda: Ocarina of Time.

[As this will be my last post until after September 11, I would like to take the time to say that my prayers go out to those who lost family or friends on that fateful day 10 years ago. (moment of silence)]